Universally Accessible Playground at Fountain Valley Sports Park

by Michele Whiteaker

The Universally Accessible Playground at Fountain Valley Sports Park highlights how inclusive play design is good for everyone! This was a community-wide push and the results are pretty amazing! I was thrilled to see the ramp system which provides access to most parts of the play structure. Plus, there is so much space to spread out and play with different elements!

The Fountain Valley Sports Park is separate from, but on the same square mile as Mile Square Regional Park. You enter the park off the Brookhurst side of the park rather than the Euclid side. The new playground is open as of August 9th, 2024.

Directions to the Universally Accessible Playground at Fountain Valley Sports Park: Take the Brookhurst exit off Interstate 405. Turn right on Heil (5th traffic signal). There is a huge sign past the YMCA reading “Fountain Valley Recreation Center and Sports Park.” Drive straight in and follow the road past the roundabout and make your first right into the playground parking lot for Fields 8-10. (Address: 16400 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley) MAP TO THE UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND AT FOUNTAIN VALLEY SPORTS PARK

Highlights

Just WOW! Every time a new accessible playground is built in Orange County, it comes out even better than the last!

This one is entirely sports-themed which makes sense for a Sports Park! Football, soccer, and baseball are represented in all sorts of details from the patterns on the floor of the playground, to climbing elements, to the zipline grid with goal posts.

It took me a full half hour to collect footage of the whole park because there are so many play elements from big thrills to small details.

Parents will like the shaded picnic area and open space to supervise the kids. Even though it’s big, it also feels somewhat compact.

Tour of the Playground

First, there is a ramp from the accessible spots in the parking lot.

The first playground element you will encounter is this shade-covered musical instrument area with a variety of instruments where kids can play and create.

The next thing you’ll be greeted by is a RAMP to enter the BIG play structure. I will come back to this, but it’s pretty cool that it’s so close to the park entrance.

If you pull around the big structure to the left, you’ll find a small shaded picnic area.

There’s also an accessible merry-go-round which is like the one at the Tustin Sports Park.

I have never seen this roller equipment before, but it’s pretty cool because kids of differing abilities can make themselves move horizontally across the rollers imitating sliding onto base in baseball.

I know this zipline is going to be a popular spot and I like that it’s set a little away from the action making it less likely kids won’t know someone is going to come zooming by — either in a chair or standing/sitting on the disk. It looks like a football field with goal posts.

There are all sorts of stationary interactive panels and an animal-themed area for the 2-5 year old age group. Isn’t that little bunny just the cutest?

There are balance beams and pedestals in this area, too.

Some kids will like the rock to climb.

Others will like the triple slide on the hill that looks like a “fountain” of water flowing down the small hill. They’ve blocked it off by gating the sides, so kids will have to go around to get back up the hill to slide again.

Next you come to the big bank of swings! 2 bench swings, 2 baby swings, 1 swing-with-me swing, and 1 inclusive swing.

I think this is the first park in OC where I’ve seen the Quiet Grove for when you need a space to retreat from all the sensory stimulation of the playground. Here’s what it looks like:

This is what it is designed to do:

And that brings us back the main play structure which is built with ramps for access! I don’t think I can even describe all the different play elements on this one. Don’t worry — your kids will find them all! Just remember that the playground is playable from the ground on the outside to up on the ramps, as well. Do you see that spinning pole that has a seat? I’ve only seen it with a platform for standing before.

This playground also has transfer stations on the slides which is kind of a step up before you slide down. I have video, but not a good photo of it.

There are also monkey bars and rings plus balancing and panels to play around. The ramps will take you to all but the tallest portion of the playground. So you go up, and up, and up, and up to different turn around areas before you get to a set of stairs for the tallest slide. That is the only spot that wouldn’t be reachable for a wheelchair.

Be Aware

The main playground is rated for ages 5-12.
There are signs politely asking that cleats NOT be worn on the playground as they could damage the playground surfacing.
Parking can be impacted by sports crowds as this is a sports park where youth teams play often.
Even though there is a huge shade over the picnic area where you can get some relief from the sun, the majority of the playground is not shaded so you should avoid the heat of the day and make sure shoes are on because the recycled rubber can heat up.
The closest restroom building is closed, but portable toilets and wash stations are available.

Checklist

Play surface is recycled rubber with some concrete sidewalk and decomposed granite paths and surfacing in the picnic areas
There is a restroom building very close to the playground, but it is locked and looks like it’s sustained some damage and needs renovations. So there are portable toilets and handwashing stations adjacent to the closest restroom building. There are 6 other restroom buildings in the park.
Free parking in dedicated lots with lots of spaces fit for big crowds that come with sports play
The Recreation Center at the front of the park is generally open 9am-9pm M-Th, 9am-5pm on Fri, 9am-1:30pm on Sat, and closed on Sundays. The rec center could also be an alternate restroom site if you want to use it.
Large shaded picnic area with lots of tables for large groups and a smaller shaded picnic area with 2 tables.
Information about the park and its features on the Unlimited Play website
LA Times article about the playground opening
Official Fountain Valley Sports Park map
Nearest public library: Fountain Valley Library or New Hope Branch of the Santa Ana Library